Author's Note: Thank you for the reviews so far! They really make my day. I'm going to post a picture that goes along with this story on my Tumblr page later today if you're interested in checking it out. (My handle is saintsavory.) Also, someone asked for an estimate on how long this story will be. It's 100 pages in Microsoft Word, but I don't know how that will break down into chapters yet.

Piper entered the house, leaned her back against the door, closed her eyes, and sighed. She'd never met anyone like Alex and craved more time with her. She hadn't expected the brunette to ask her to dinner, but unless she was reading the signals wrong, Alex most definitely extended a dinner invitation under the guise of curing Piper's fictitious disease.

"It stinks in here," Polly commented from the stairwell.

Her other friends stirred in the living room.

"Why did we smoke that much pot?" One of them asked with an arm flung over her eyes.

"Because we wanted to wake up feeling miserable?" Bryn offered with sarcasm. "And don't you think the way we're feeling has more to do with mixing three kinds of alcohol than smoking out of a Coke can bong?"

Piper had almost forgotten that her friends were in the house, and she definitely forgot that it was her birthday.

"Who's making the cinnamon rolls?" she asked, taking a step into the living room.

"Not me!" They all shouted in unison.

Piper devised a plan that involved two of them making breakfast while the rest of them cleaned the house. She informed her friends that the party would have to be cut short as her parents were planning to arrive at some point that day.

After eating the ooey, gooey cinnamon rolls and fatty bacon, she called her dad to enquire about their arrival time.

"Hi, sweetheart. Happy birthday!"

"Thanks, dad."

"Did you have fun last night?" he asked.

"Um, yeah." She rubbed her forehead. "I was thinking of driving to Kennebunkport this morning. I've celebrated so many birthdays there, and it would be kind of nice to be on the water today."

"I'm glad to hear that. Your mother and I are heading there later with Cal," he began. "Why don't you come home, and we'll ride together?"

"Actually, um, all of my stuff from the dorm is in boxes at Polly's house, so I figured I'd load my car and just head there early," Piper tried.

"That's an awfully long drive for you to make alone," her father said.

"I've done it before," she offered.

"Well, alright. We'll be there around two o'clock. I'll boil lobsters tonight if you want."

She didn't have the heart to tell her dad that she was going to feast on lobsters that night with Alex. "Actually, I've got plans to hang out with the Russo boys and Katy O'Sullivan. We're, uh, we're going to roast hot dogs and marshmallows on the beach." She closed her eyes, regretting the lies but finding them utterly necessary. "I hope you don't mind, daddy. We can have a late lunch together at Arundel's if you want."

"You know I love their chowder," he responded. "Ok, we'll see you in a few hours. Drive safe."

"I will. See you soon." She hung up and felt a weight lifted off her shoulders, but she was still riddled with guilt about the two lies she'd told her father. To be fair, her party at their summer home was more of a lie of omission, but lying to him about driving up to Maine that day was a bold faced falsity.

The girls went for a walk on the beach so that they could breathe in some fresh air and to see if, upon their return, the house smelled less like a marijuana farm. Her folks would flip if they knew she'd smoked out on occasion, and they'd blow a gasket if they knew she'd done so in their home.

As they walked on the pebbly beach, Piper's heart fluttered when she spotted Alex in a skiff, lifting lobster pots. The brunette was about 50 yards offshore, but she was confident it was Alex with her jet black hair and almost six-foot stature. Piper couldn't tell if the woman had caught anything, but a smile crossed her face as she thought about the lobsters that would be prepared for her that evening.

Piper's friends left shortly after 1 o'clock, two of them too hungover to complain about their stay being cut short. The blonde promised that they'd have ample opportunities to hang out in Kennebunkport when she began living there full-time for her internship that would run through Labor Day. They seemed fine with Piper's pseudo-invitation and promised to come back even with short notice.

When the blonde walked back into the house, she was thankful that the smell of pot had vanished and it was all put back together the way it was when she'd first stepped inside the day before. She took the empty alcohol bottles to the dump at the campground a couple of miles away, so there was no indication that they'd consumed two bottles of tequila, one of vodka and six cans of beer.

Piper didn't have to wait long for her parents to arrive, and she hoped that they didn't recognize Polly's car on the way out of town. (That would have been a miracle, but she still worried.) Cal didn't even get out of the car when they pulled into the driveway; instead, he rolled down the window and complained about being starving. Piper joined her family in the Range Rover as they headed into town for lunch.

As hard as she tried, Piper had a difficult time keeping Alex off of her mind. She'd been captivated by the dark haired woman over Memorial Day weekend, and to think that just two weeks later, they'd have dinner together was enough to send her heart racing. Piper had been thinking about what it would feel like to kiss another girl, but she'd never considered kissing a woman, and Alex was definitely a woman—full-time job, lived on her own, and from a physical standpoint, curves in places only women had.

Piper thought about Alex's broad shoulders when she'd wrapped her arms around them; the smell of freshly cut grass in her hair and baby powder on her neck. The blonde wondered if Alex was all contrasts—muscular build with soft features; manual labor with a brilliant mind.

Her mother's question about her future internship woke her from her reverie, and Piper knew she needed to focus on her family rather than the mysterious Alex Vause…at least for the time being.

The white lie she'd told her parents about her whereabouts that night would have to suffice. They rarely left the grounds of their summer home, so there was a good chance that Piper's plan would go off without a hitch. She dressed in a short, simple turquoise-colored cotton dress with spaghetti straps and a thin elastic band around the waist. No one wore closed-toe shoes in the summer, so Piper slipped on her favorite pair of Reefs, dabbed a hint of gloss on her lips, and dried her hair using a round brush, giving it a little extra bounce.

"I'm leaving. Don't wait up for me," she called as she walked out of the front door. Piper was happy to not have a curfew since she'd gone to college. She'd never abused her time out with friends, which only instilled her parents' trust in her as the years went on. If they found out what she was up to that evening, she would likely get a stern lecture from her father about lying, and one from her mother about fraternizing with the help.

As she made her way down the quiet blacktop road, Piper suddenly felt her stomach churn as if she was going down a steep drop on a roller coaster. What if Alex had invited other guests, too? What if the brunette was just being nice by inviting her to dinner? Maybe this was a friend thing—Alex might've wanted some company when her regular friends weren't around.

Would being friends with Alex be that bad? She stopped to take a deep breath and contemplate her answer. The truth was, Piper was attracted to the older woman, that much was certain, but could she put that attraction aside and just be friends if that was all Alex was seeking? Piper had never been the other half of an unrequited crush. Sure, she'd broken boys' hearts in the past, but it had always been her decision to walk away from them.

She picked up her pace, wondering if it would be best just to turn around and actually hang out with Katy O'Sullivan that night.

"Long walk?" Alex called from the ring of Adirondack chairs.

"The longest." She tucked her hair behind her ear. Now that she'd been seen, there was no backing out. "We never settled on a time, so I figured I'd just..."

Alex smiled as she tossed a plump cushion onto one of the chairs. "Now is fine."

"I've never been down here." Piper walked a few more steps onto the lawn and scanned the property. "It's beautiful."

The cottage was small with cedar shingles that had been stained a grayish color from the salt water. There was a large window in the front with Navy blue shutters on either side, and the screen door was propped open with a stack of books. On the South side of the house were three mature hydrangea bushes with pink and purple flowers. On the North side was a series of honey-trumpet foxgloves and a lilac bush that nearly reached the pitch of the roof. The most impressive part of the property, though, was the view.

Unlike the Chapman's home, which had a view straight out onto the ocean, Alex's cottage was perched at an angle, so she could see a row of four or five homes, the steep drop to the beach about halfway down the road, and the vast ocean as the waves crashed against the rocky shore. To the right of the property was the main inlet where boats could sail to the protected Kennebunkport Marina for safe harbor. There appeared to be a grassy path along the inlet to walk to the marina as well. Hers was the last house on the private road, flanked by a thick patch of trees to the South and West.

The brunette adjusted her glasses. "Considering I don't pay rent, I'd say it's the best deal around."

Alex wore khaki shorts and a white linen blouse with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows. One too many buttons were undone at the top, giving Piper a nice peek at her cleavage. Piper had to avert her eyes and remind herself to admire the other stunning view of land and sea.

"Give me a tour." She'd meant for that to come out as a request, but somehow it sounded more like a demand. (There were other things that Piper wanted to demand, but touring Alex's cottage had to be enough just then. Besides, she needed to focus on something other than Alex's body until her pulse slowed and she could breathe normally in front of her hostess.)

Alex held her arm out as if indicating right this way. As Piper stepped in front of her, she could smell Alex's perfume or lotion or whatever the fuck it was that made her smell like salt water and grass. It assaulted her senses—she stopped in the doorway, hand on the jamb, and turned her head slightly to the left. Piper didn't know what possessed her, but when she looked up at Alex, all she could think about was kissing her full lips.

The taller woman almost bumped into her, and the moment passed. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Piper looked down, embarrassed by her sudden desire. "Why don't you go first…I don't know where I'm going."

"It's not like it's a mansion or anything," the brunette chuckled, sliding past her in the tight doorway. Piper felt the faint touch of Alex's fingertips on her waist as she switched positions. "In fact, it's just over 500 square feet."

Piper glanced around the small but well-appointed space. "Wow."

The floor was glazed Boston brick, and the walls were white-washed wood. The ceiling pointed in an A-frame that made the space feel light and airy with track lights directed towards the kitchen and a ceiling fan over the living room. There was a divided wall leading into the bedroom that featured rows and rows of books resting in all sorts of positions on built-in bookcases. A white ladder was propped up against one portion of the bookshelf, presumably to get to the hardest to reach novels on the top shelf. On the left side of the space was a well-worn leather sofa that reminded Piper of the one her father had in his study. He used to tell the kids not to play on it, because it was a priceless antique. She wondered if Alex would eventually invite her to play on her leather sofa.

"This is lovely," the blonde commented. If she had a place of her own, Piper would want it to resemble this.

"Thanks." Alex ran her hand along the arm of the sofa. "It was boarded up for years. After my mom died, Mr. Bankston said I could stay here if I agreed to fix it up."

"I'm sorry about your mom." Piper put a hand on Alex's wrist, and immediately let go, worried that she might've overstepped. "When did she pass away?"

"Five years ago," she sighed. "She'd been the caretaker for 20 years. When she died, I kind of just took over."

"Did you have to quit school?" Piper folded her arms so as not to errantly reach out to touch the brunette. It seemed downright impossible not to touch her—it was as if her hands were magnets, trying almost of their own accord to connect with Alex.

"No," she admitted, tossing a chunk of black hair over one shoulder. "I was never good at the whole 'school' thing."

"But you have all these books." She walked over to the bookshelf, gently pulling one halfway off the shelf to read the cover.

"I've always loved reading; that has nothing to do with the kind of academic experience that was forced down my throat in high school." Alex stepped beside her and pulled a book off the shelf. "I could tell you more about the Civil Rights Movement after reading Carry Me Home than any fucking textbook we used in class." She showed Piper the cover of the book, and then put it back in its place. "Just because I didn't go to college doesn't mean I'm uneducated."

"I hope that's not what I insinuated." Piper creased her forehead and then tried to think of a way to recover. She licked her lips and stood a little taller. "It's what you read when you don't have to that determines what you will be when you can't help it."

"Oscar Wilde?" A small smile crept on Alex's face. "The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame."

She recognized the Wilde quote immediately. "Touché."

Not even ten minutes after her arrival, and Piper was already captivated by her hostess. They remained silent for a moment, both examining each other as if they'd discovered a pearl in an oyster.

Alex shoved her glasses higher on the bridge of her nose. "We could toss Oscar Wilde quotes around all night, or we could get to the business of eating and drinking."

The blonde smiled. "What do you have to drink?"

Alex ambled into the small kitchen and opened the vintage Frigidaire. "Narragansett, Sam Adams, lemonade, and Pinot Grigio."

Piper didn't dare remind her that she wasn't yet 21. She touched the light blue refrigerator with appreciation and stepped to the side. "I'll have whatever you're having."

The dark haired woman pulled out two cans. "Lager or Light?"

She chose the red can, and popped it open at the same time as Alex.

"To unexpected encounters," Alex said, tapping her can against Piper's.

"Cheers." The blonde took her first sip of the lager, not taking her eyes off of her hostess.

"It's too gorgeous outside to be in here." She opened her arm, gesturing outdoors. "Shall we?"

"You have a charming place." She followed the brunette to the Adirondack chairs. "I could spend hours in your room."

She lifted an eyebrow.

"That's not what I meant…" Piper corrected. "I…"

"It's that damn disease." Alex positioned two chairs directly towards the ocean, thick wooden armrests touching. "Lucky for you, I have the cure." She sat in one and motioned for Piper to join her. "And you're welcome to spend hours in my home." An enchanted smile danced on the brunette's face.

Piper sat down and tried to hide her blushing cheeks with the beer can. She really did have foot-in-mouth disease, and it surfaced at the worst possible moments.

Alex gazed towards the horizon. "This view never gets old."

Piper stared at the other woman long enough to blink twice. "No, it doesn't."

Alex turned her head and looked at the blonde with a knowing smile before returning her gaze to the Atlantic. "One of the best parts of my job is that I get to see the ocean from different angles all day."

"That is pretty cool." She finally felt her cheeks return to their normal color. "I don't know if I want to be in an office all day. I'm kind of restless."

"I could never have a desk job," Alex admitted. "Or have a boss, telling me what the fuck to do."

The blonde took a sip of beer. "So what do you do, exactly?"

"After Labor Day, it's mostly winterizing the homes—removing window screens, protecting pipes, storing outdoor furniture—that sort of thing." She took a sip of beer. "In the fall and winter, it's all about fixing whatever the families broke or damaged in the summer. Sometimes it's big things, like installing a new water heater or repairing a broken window."

"Can you do those things at your own pace?" She put her arm on the wooden armrest, hoping Alex would do the same so their arms would touch.

"Yeah, that's the beauty of the off season—I get a lot of down time." Alex did exactly that, lowering her left arm to rest inches away from Piper's. "Spring and summer are insane though—mowing lawns, putting screens back up, pruning bushes, sanding decks, putting Freon in air conditioners, hiring contractors and housekeepers…I could go on and on."

"You don't clean houses?" Piper asked.

"Fuck, no." She shoved one sleeve higher, and when she set her arm back down, it touched Piper's. "That is one thing I definitely do not do."

"Do you like your job?" Piper took a sip of beer, can now in her left hand making it a bit awkward to drink, but she dared not move her other arm now that it was touching Alex's.

"Most of the time, yeah," the brunette began. "When it's stormy outside, it's hard to get shit done. Or when a hurricane threatens the Northeastern seaboard—that fucking sucks."

"But most hurricanes don't make it this far North," she offered.

"Thank God." Alex leaned forward. "You getting hungry?"

She grinned. "I'm famished."

The dark haired woman stood, chunking her empty can into a nearby recycle bin. "Help me set the table?"

"Sure." Piper followed close behind. "I didn't even realize how good it smelled in here a few minutes ago." (That's because you were too busy sniffing your hostess, she thought to herself.)

She opened the oven and pulled out a large pot. "I hope you like lobster bisque."

Piper took in the sweet smell of heavy cream and lobster. "It's my favorite." And it was. She used to beg her parents to cook it during her younger years, but it was a rare occasion when they did.

The brunette lifted the lid and moved to the side a bit so that Piper could peer into the pot. Using her free hand, Alex reached for a spoon, bending her body in an awkward position that revealed a sliver of her stomach. Piper involuntarily licked her lips. If she was caught, she could blame it on her desire to taste the bisque.

"Try this." The dark haired woman dabbed the spoon in the liquid and blew on it a few times before lifting it to Piper's mouth.

The blonde swallowed the thick soup. "Oh, my God. That's like crack."

Alex raised her eyebrows and smirked. "You've done crack?"

"No, but I assume this is a similar sort of experience, you know, with the craving." She wiped the corners of her mouth with her fingers. "Do you cook often?"

"Almost every day." Alex used the same spoon to taste for herself, and the blonde wondered if her hostess could taste any of her saliva on the spoon. "Maybe a little more pepper." Alex cracked fresh pepper into the pot. "I typically cook simple stuff—in the summer, it's all about the fresh produce and seafood."

"You mentioned that you have a garden." Piper took it upon herself to grab the spoons and cloth napkins that were on the narrow counter.

"Lay this down first." Alex handed her a white, somewhat tattered linen tablecloth that looked both casual and chic, and Piper wondered if it was handed down from her mother.

Piper did as she was told and proceeded to the picnic table just outside. She could still hear Alex from indoors with no trouble.

"I only have an herb garden here, but the Steins let me pick whatever vegetables I want in their yard." She ladled two scoops into each bowl. "In exchange, I take care of it year-round."

Piper returned inside, and Alex handed her the bowls. "That's a treat."

"Tell me about it," the brunette replied. "Fresh vegetables in almost every season. In fact, I have a salad with three kinds of lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes from the garden to go with the bisque." She reached into the Frigidaire and pulled out a large, ceramic bowl. "The bread should be ready in a minute."

The blonde took the bowl and saw a pair of salad tongs in a container, so she grabbed those and proceeded outside.

When she returned, Alex asked, "Are you gonna stick with beer, or do you want white wine with dinner?"

She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "I'll have some wine."

"Glasses are on the second shelf to the right." Alex jutted her head in that direction. She reached into the refrigerator again and pulled out a bottle of white wine that had already been uncorked.

The blonde found the glasses and held them out for her hostess to pour a few ounces into each one. "For a small space, you seem to have everything you need."

Alex smiled. "If I don't, there are a shitload of houses that I can let myself into to borrow something."

"I never thought about that." She waited for Alex to put a decorative wine stopper into the bottle and walk outside to the picnic table. Piper was close behind. "You can access any of these houses at almost any time."

"Sure can." Alex looked the table over. "Nice job setting things up, kid."

"Do you do that? I mean, go inside without the owners knowing?"

Alex regarded the blonde as if trying to figure out if she could trust her. "Rarely. If I know a homeowner has something that I need, like an electric mixer or something, I do, but I keep to myself for the most part. I might be known to occasionally take a dip in the Showalter's pool, but you didn't hear that from me."

The blonde giggled. "Who hasn't?"

"You've done that?" She lifted her brows. "I guess I need to put a lock on their gate to keep little vandals like you out."

Piper batted her eyelashes. "If you do, your secret is not safe with me."

The dark haired woman snickered as she walked back inside. "I'll grab the bread, and then we can dig in."

Piper sat down and took in her surroundings. The way she and Alex had moved in the kitchen, the view of the ocean, and the fact that her hostess had prepared her favorite meal without even realizing it felt like all these little wonders—like this was where she belonged.

They ate the scrumptious meal, conversation never lacking, and flip-flopped between who answered questions while the other person took bites of food. Everything flowed effortlessly, and it felt completely natural.

"That was delicious." Piper covered her belly. "You're a damn good cook."

"Glad you liked it." She topped the blonde's glass off with the last of the Pinot Grigio. "I have something for you. Be right back." Alex hooked her leg over the picnic bench seat, and Piper watched her saunter back into the house. Seconds later, Alex peeked out of the doorway, hand on each side of the door jamb. "I need like ten minutes. Make yourself comfortable; drink your wine. There's a blanket in that big box if you're cold."

Piper leaned back, closed her eyes and took in the sweet, summer air. She didn't have a care in the world in that moment—being in Alex's presence was all that mattered. The evening had been magical, and she didn't want it to end.

She started getting a little chilly, so she took her hostess' advice and grabbed two blankets from the bin. One looked thick and worn, so she laid it down on the lawn. The other was softer and wider, so she used it to cover her legs after sitting cross-legged on the ground.

The brunette returned outside with a bottle in hand.

Piper craned her neck all the way back and looked at Alex upside down. "I forgot my wine glass on the table."

Without missing a beat, Alex picked up Piper's glass and downed the contents. "Hold this." She handed her the new bottle, then disappeared again.

Piper read the label. "1997 Sauternes."

Alex returned with her own glass, and then sat next to Piper. "It was a gift from Mr. Bankston a couple of years ago." She poured the liquid into each glass. "He has a wine cellar that would blow your fucking mind."

The blonde grabbed the bottle again and read the back label. "Sauternes wines darken with age, often starting out pale yellow to straw and getting darker as years progress, sometimes progressing to a light brown. With ageing potential over 100 years, Sauternes are highly collectible wines. The most famous of Sauternes is the Chateau d'Yquem. They are beautiful served chilled with rich dishes including fois gras, crème brulee, chocolate, or with soft cheeses."

"All I knew was that it was sweet," Alex admitted with a chuckle.

"This is probably very expensive." She lowered the bottle. "Are you sure you want to share it with me?"

"Too late for that." She raised her glass and took a sip. "Oh, and happy birthday."

In the middle of her sip, Piper nearly choked. "You remembered."

"There's very little I forget." She adjusted her glasses, then stood. "One more thing..." She jogged back into the house. Seconds later, Alex came outside with two dishes in her hands.

The blonde twisted her body around. "What are those?"

"Blueberry tarts." She extended one to Piper, and then sat next to her again, tossing two forks onto the blanket. "I picked the berries myself earlier today. Even if it tastes like shit, I need you to tell me it doesn't." Alex set the pie down and showed the blonde scratches on her arm. "Those blueberry bushes pack a mean punch."

"You cut yourself!" Piper grabbed her arm and brought it closer. "I'm sorry. You didn't have to maim yourself for me."

"Are you kidding?" She laughed, not pulling away. "I get scratches, cuts and bruises all over my body every fucking day! What's a few more for the sake of blueberry tarts?" She took a sip of wine. "After all, it is your birthday."

The blonde bit her lower lip. "Thank you."

Alex cut into the personal-sized dessert. "I would've made one, big pie, but I didn't have enough berries."

"This is really good," Piper said around a mouthful. "It's not too sweet, and the crust has that perfect crunch. I'd ask for the recipe, but I don't cook…or bake, for that matter."

The brunette swallowed. "It's not exactly birthday cake, but…"

"…it's a close second," Piper finished with a genuinely appreciative smile.

The women finished their tarts and drank more Sauternes as the blonde filled Alex in on her upcoming internship.

When they were done eating, Alex laid down on the blanket, arms behind her head. "I love when the stars are out like this."

Piper mirrored her position, pulling the blanket over both of them before lying down. "I want to live on Sand Point Road now," she blurted out. "I shouldn't have to wait another week."

The dark haired woman turned her head. "Why can't you just stay in town until your internship starts?"

She shrugged. "My dad said there's no reason for me to 'do nothing' all day by myself in Kennebunkport. I told him that I don't do much at home in Connecticut either, so what's the point?"

"What if you helped me around here?"

Piper swung her head around, brows creased. "I can't do what you do."

"I'm guessing you're a quick learner." Alex propped herself up on her elbows. "I have a 'to do list' eight pages long, and every task has to be done before July 4th…Be my assistant. Help me."

The blonde turned on her side, propping herself up on an elbow, to face her companion. "Seriously?"

"Why not?" Alex positioned herself the same way. "I'd even pay you. It won't be much, but it'll be enough to prove to your dad that you're not wasting your days away before you start the internship."

"I've never even hammered a nail into a wall," she confessed.

"Even a monkey could do that," she replied with sarcasm.

"Are you calling me a monkey?" Piper's expression turned mock serious.

"I've seen monkeys change light bulbs before, so you're not even at monkey status." Alex's laughter filled the air, and Piper couldn't get enough.

She lightheartedly shoved the brunette's hip. Before Piper had a chance to remove her hand, Alex covered it with her own. They stared at each other, both smiling for a beat, before Alex let go.

"Will you coach me through it?" Piper asked.

"Yeah."

They laid that way for the next five minutes, breathing in the summer air laced with honeysuckle and campfires. If Piper hadn't wanted the earlier part of their time together to end, she refused to have this part come to its conclusion.

"What if we just stayed here, like this, forever?" the blonde whispered.

"I could get behind that..." Alex sat up. "If I didn't have to pee so fucking bad."

Piper snorted.

The brunette offered her hand. "It's getting late, kid. You should probably head home."

Piper grabbed her hand and allowed her companion to pull her into a standing position. "Yeah, you're probably right." She bemoaned the sadness in her tone.

"I'll walk you home." The women were still holding hands, and when Alex dropped hers, Piper shivered from the loss of contact.

They walked up the grassy incline.

"I thought you had to pee?"

The brunette looked at her. "Hey, you're freezing."

"I'm ok." Piper crossed her arms and shivered, noticing goosebumps on her arms.

"Tell you what, I'm gonna run inside to use the bathroom, and I'll grab a jacket for you." She'd already started walking backwards towards the cottage.

Piper smiled, no room for rebuttal.

A few minutes later, Alex wrapped a heather gray hoodie around the blonde's shoulders. "That better?"

"Yeah, thank you." Piper looked up at her, hoping this might be the moment when Alex leaned a few inches down and kissed her.

"You bet."

They walked at a relatively brisk pace four doors down to the Chapman home.

"Where did you tell your parents you were tonight?" Alex inquired.

The blonde kept her head bowed. "Why wouldn't I tell them the truth?"

"You don't have a good track record for the truth when it comes to them," Alex chuckled, brushing her dark hair out of her face.

"I told them I was hanging out with Katy O'Sullivan and the Russo twins." She glanced up and shrugged. "They don't know that you and I know each other yet."

"Katy O'Sullivan, huh?" Alex wrapped her fingers around the edges of her eyeglasses and adjusted them. "She's cute."

How dare Alex say that Katy was cute? "I guess, if you like out of shape rich girls with no aspirations."

Alex snorted. "I actually prefer tall blondes with high aspirations."

Piper stopped walking, and Alex took a few steps back as they stood face to face.

"Tonight was nice, kid." She sobered. "It's been a while since I've had a great conversation."

"Likewise." She could definitely get lost in those hazel eyes.

The brunette smiled, shoving one hand in her pocket. "Maybe I'll see you tomorrow."

"I hope so."

"Ok…well, I guess this is goodbye for now." Alex adjusted the top of the gray hoodie around Piper's shoulders, making it less bunched up.

"Thank you again," the blonde said. "Everything was…it was…delightful."

"That's a word I don't hear every day." She grinned. "Hope you had a nice birthday."

"I did. See you tomorrow." Piper stuck one hand in the air to wave as she backed down the pathway to the front door.

"Night." Alex waved back.

Once she was inside and assured no one was in the living room, Piper leaned her back against the door, closed her eyes and bit her lower lip. This was shaping up to be the best summer ever.

This chapter was twice as long as my usual posts, but I felt that if I cut it down, it would have lost some of its punch. I hope you enjoyed it!